Re: Can a person with dementia be treated for a personality disorder?

Dementia can complicate the treatment of any medical condition. Even in those without a mental health diagnosis, behaviours and personalities change. I do not know if a PD contributes to the risk of developing what are seen as the more challenging aspects of dementia.

Clear communication in relation to the treatment of any medical condition is necessary - not just psych, do you have medical POA? Medication reviews are often helpful to ensure no untoward interactions between prescribed meds. There is a lot of controversy about the use of antipsychotics in patients with dementia (most carry a black box warning for use in the elderly) and these are the RANZCP guidelines.

Re: Can a person with dementia be treated for a personality disorder?

My dad has dementia. Recently with his senior Gerontologist, he diagnosed dad with depression, filled out a script for antidepressant BUT asked me to wait 2 weeks to see if dad improved with extra time outside in the sun, BECAUSE antidepressants can make the dementia worse and affect coordination (falls risk). I say this because a lot of personality disorders are treated with antidepressants.

Re: Can a person with dementia be treated for a personality disorder?

Unfortunately no. My father is in a nursing home; I wrote a long email to the geriatrician servicing the home and assumed he'd be in touch before he saw my father (and me) in an official appointment. A week or so later, the nursing home informed me that the geriatrician had come in to see dad and prescribed an anti-psychotic. I wasn't contacted at all. Needless to say I'm not at all happy with the treatment.

Re: Can a person with dementia be treated for a personality disorder?

If you are the guardians, the geriatrician is obliged to liaise with you. Do you know if your brother was contacted? Additionally if any medication is prescribed "off-label" specific informed consent should have been obtained where risks vs benefit are clearly explained (see attached guidelines).

If your brother was not contacted, I would be seeking an urgent appointment with the geriatrician so that the appropriateness of any medication can be discussed with a view to either accepting or declining the treatment.

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